Johnnystock

iTrader: (6)

So I think I finally made my cam choice;Torquer V3 or 233-239 over my old little cam.

Short story:

Poll options;

A-Lift the heads, change lifter trays, lifters(LS7), pushrods, rockers, spring kit, milling the heads while at it for higher CR, MLS gasket, new tune, cam swap and having peace of mind a killer setup..most $$$ option but the safest

B-Do a cam swap and call it a day with Torquer V3 with extreme LSK lobes. New pushrods, rockers and springs. Lifters did hold 15-40K miles, so they will not fail

C-Do a cam swap on a XER lobe with 233-239 so it'll be softer on the valvetrain and a bit cheaper too.

D-Other solution; explain please.

Long story with all details:

And now theres the lifters question hunting my mind: I never changed em since I have the car(15Kmiles on it since) and I'm starting to freak out about one breaking and doing damage to the engine due to going for a bigger cam. I dont know how long the lifters have been in there and if they got changed during the initial TR cam swap. So my lifters might not support a new agressive cam on LSK or XER with higher lift..Valvetrain is loud and sound like a sewing machine, but I think its usual with cammed LS1 on stock rockers.

I'm currently running a TR cam peaking at 6200rpm, TTP nitrous tuned, CNC stage3 243 heads, LS6 intake, old 1 3\4LTs, ORY, SLP dual dual, ported TB, LID, stock CR, graphite crap gasket, 150shot, 3:42, forged 347 with valve relief, stock rockers, comp cams 918 springs and hardened pushrods.

I was thinking I could just do a cam swap and call it a day without lifting heads..but I know the graphite head gasket doesnt last long on my setup. I need to go MLS eventually. And I know the gasket is due soon because its starting to smell sweet(coolant) but no leak or overheating yet So maybe I'm better off changing the head gasket before it blows completly.

Doing all the work myself in my garage this spring-summer. The car is not a DD but I like cruising around town at low rpm..but I prefer being faster than all the ricer outhere than cruising around!!

sorry for the long post to read

devinfbody

iTrader: (4)

To me, option A seems like the best. You could probably save some $$$ by sticking with your stock rockers (if they're in good shape).

WhiteRhino

iTrader: (6)

I'd pull the heads to swap gaskets. Might as well do the lifters and trays while you''re in there.

Super Speed

iTrader: (8)

How many miles does the engine/lifters have on them right now?!?!

I'd go with option C but I am a little biased

DCsLS1

i know a lot of people do the cam swap with out changing the lifters and get away with it, but you should always change the lifters with a new cam its just silly not to i know its a lot more work but if your not going to do it right then why do it at all? option a

Johnnystock

iTrader: (6)

Miles on lifters are unknown maybe they have 105Kmiles
Option C is very tempting..

I'll order new stock rockers in any case..

ohh god, if I'm going A route, I'll go with extreme lobes for sure!! Torquer 3 style

theinstag8r

iTrader: (3)

send your stock rockers out and have them rebuilt,

LS1Formulation

iTrader: (13)

I have 151K on my stock lifters and rockers. No problems at all after a cam swap.

eamador11

If your doing heads swap them out for comp 850s and never look back again

litle88

iTrader: (20)

Ls7 litters dumdumdum 135.00 at the Ws6 store and 4 new Ls2 lifter trays for 32.00 will and might save you thousands if one happens to break. Just my .02 though I'm in the same situation as you, I got Tf heads a vrx5 new litters and trays and my Ls2 chain has about 5k miles but since I'm going on there I'll just save for a c5r timing chain from Katech.
Goodluck!

Chrome355z

iTrader: (1)

LS7 lifters are basically just stock LS1 lifters... I really don't see the point of changing. IMO

If you are upgrading to Morrells or whatnot that's one thing, but the fact the lifters are called "LS7" lifters now gets everybody in a frenzy... it's a stock lifter.

litle88

iTrader: (20)

I am very aware of that, but its what the replacements have been nicknamed around here because they are from the Ls7's!

If your going in there, why not change them?
They are only 135 dollars that CAN save you a rebuild in the future!

AGAIN just my .02 cents!

blubox

iTrader: (5)

I agree, even if your just putting LS1 Lifters/Trays, why not do it will your there. Take a little bit more time to do it right. You'd feel like an *** for trying to save 160 and spend who knows how many thoughsands on the new 408 build..

If what you already have is stock at least your fresh stock if you change em out. This isn't dirrected at the OP I know it wasn't you who said not too.

2002 SS HUGG

I"m doing my cam swap now. However, I'm waiting till I get all my valvetrain upraises before I do the swap. Anyway, I don't necessarily see why guys say there is no difference in the lifters....? See, the Ls7 is a 427 that redlines around 7,000 rpms unlike the stock Ls1 that redlines at like 6,200 so....I see getting the Ls7 lifters because you know they'll be good to at least 7k, and even if you think they are exactly like Ls1 lifters, you'll know that you have new lifters that shouldn't have any reason to take a dump. Besides...they are only like 115 bucks from TSP, new!

tlee_ls1

Well I had an ls7 lifter go bad and take out my cam but like I said in other posts I had my rev limiter set real high but I would recomend a good quality lifter..trust me it is not fun trying to get a bad lifter out of the block after it mushroomed and got stuck. I had to hold it up while pulling the cam and then put a magnet on it and fish it out..That was not fun...

litle88

iTrader: (20)

I still believe that out of the millions of the new Ls7 (that replaced the Ls1 lifters) GM has sold already we hardly hear about the lifters taking dumps. Just my .02 though

2002 SS HUGG

Yea...like you said...you had the rev limiter set at 7200 on a cam that peaks out around 6.4-6.6k (which is overkill) and the Ls7 lifters in the Zo6 only rev to 7k....kinda common sense that if you're gonna rev passed 7k, that an aftermarket lifter is probably your best bet...not one rated to 7k. lol But anyway, I do recommend getting different lifters...it's just a safer route to travel down. And like litle88 said, millions of Ls7 lifters have been sold and you rarely hear about them taking dumps on you.

tlee_ls1

It would be over kill if I didn't have a great set of heads that put my powerband way through the roof. I only wish I could have spun it even higher because it never fell off at the top, plus it had a good tune.